The Palaw community programme
The Palaw community development programme is located in the
southernmost part of Myanmar, 720km from the capital city of
Yangon.World Vision is reaching 135 villages, with a total
population of 139,983. World Vision's partnership with the
community started in 2009 and is envisaged to continue until 2021,
when the community will be fully equipped with the resources and
skills to take ownership of its own development. In the past year,
significant improvements were made in the current focus areas of
education and advocacy, and health.
Issues covered: Health, education and
advocacy
Updates from World Vision's work
Education and advocacy
- 8 early childhood education centres attended by 300 children
aged 3 - 5 are operating in the community. In addition, one
non-formal education centre is supporting 20 young people who have
dropped out of school, because their parents cannot afford school
fees or the children have to stay home to help with chores.
- 600 parents, 20 teachers and 50 community-based organisations
participated in a child protection and children's rights
awareness-raising programme conducted by World Vision and community
leaders.
Health
- To help reduce mother and child mortality rates, reproductive
health education sessions, including ante- and postnatal care, were
conducted by World Vision. Six hundred pregnant women and women of
child-bearing age (15-49 years) attended.
- 580 community members participated in malaria-prevention
education sessions, and received specially treated
insecticide-treated nets and anti-malaria tablets.
The Palaw community is in the fourth year of its development
journey with World Vision.
Life on the ground in
Palaw
Mother and child health training saves children's
lives
World Vision and community leaders
support HIV and AIDS caregivers, and people living with HIV and
AIDS, with livestock, such as goats, so they can earn a
livelihood.
Migrant workers, especially in the fisheries industry between
Myanmar and Thailand, pose an increasing HIV and AIDS risk to the
Palaw community. To this end, World Vision focuses not only on
prevention messages, but also on support programmes aimed
particularly at orphans and vulnerable children. In the past year,
trained community health workers reached 2500 people, including
school children, with HIV and AIDS prevention and care messages.
One orphan said: "We really need the knowledge. Now, I have changed
my behaviour." Five self-help savings groups are also operational
to support people living with HIV and AIDS. Members of these groups
are either families affected by HIV and AIDS or community
caregivers looking after orphans and vulnerable children. They are
supported with training, vegetable seeds, and livestock such as
goats, ducks and chickens, to help them earn a livelihood, and
improve their nutrition. One caregiver said: "I want to thank World
Vision with all of my heart. I can now look properly after the
orphaned children in my care. I believe that we ourselves are the
owners of our future."
Myanmar at a glance
Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) shares borders with Thailand,
Laos, China, India and Bangladesh and is one of the world's most
ethnically diverse countries. It has abundant natural resources,
especially timber, precious stones, oil, gas and fertile soil.
However it is subject to destructive earthquakes, cyclones,
flooding and landslides, and for the vast majority of the
population there are few services or opportunities. Politically,
the country has moved from a colonial administration to socialist
government, then, in 1988, to a military regime known as the State
Peace and Development Council.
